Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka came back from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the Wuhan Open final for the third time. The Belarusian, champion in Wuhan in 2018 and 2019, improved her perfect record at the tournament to 16-0. She will next meet Zheng Qinwen, who beat Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4 in the second semi-final.
Riding a nine-match winning streak after her title in Beijing, the crowd favorite dominated the first set, racing to a 5-0 lead before she began to leak oil throughout a sloppy contest lasting two hours and 26 minutes littered with 21 double-faults.
The 25-year-old Sabalenka, who has won 19 of her last 20 matches including titles in Cincinnati and at the US Open, found her rhythm from 2-4 down in the second set. She pounced on faltering serve from Gauff to force a decider and seized control in a marathon third set, winning seven consecutive games and eventually closing the match out.
“The atmosphere was incredible,” Sabalenka said. “It felt like a Grand Slam final.”
Though Gauff tried to make it one set all, the determination pulled Sabalenka through and took her into the final for her third Wuhan title.
